1892.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA, 99 



Bay, -svliich lie had previously visited with Mr. Chapman. The in- 

 terval between our visits, however, gave opportunity for a decided 

 readjustment of the bird fauna, due to migration and the nesting of 

 resident species. 



Mr. Beckham's personal observations of Texan birds terminated 

 in March, and so far as I can discover, very few, if any, of our ob- 

 servers have recorded data relating to the early summer birds of 

 the Corpus Christi region; Dresser's "summer" notes relating 

 chiefly to the vicinity of San Antonio. 



Further description of the region included in the following notes 

 would be superfluous after all that the aforementioned authors have 

 written on the subject. Before proceeding with the annotated list, 

 hoAvever, the following observations may be made. 



Though nearly all the non-resident birds had passed through, and 

 a drouth existed, quite equal in severity to that prevailing during 

 Mr. Beckman's stay, my experience agrees with that of Mr. Chap- 

 man — birds were abundant everywhere. Nearly half of the birds 

 observed were feeding their young before my departure, and in 

 many cases the full-fledged young Avere procured. This rendered 

 all the more conspicuous the fact that many boreal species, espe- 

 cially among the water birds, still lingered. I received corroboration 

 in various ways that the annual over-stepping of fauual limits by 

 many species belonging to a more southerly district, and their sub- 

 sequent disappearance toward the end of the spring migration, is a 

 marked feature at Corpus Christi. These birds undoubtedly return 

 in due time to their ancestral haunts in Mexico ere the breeding 

 season begins. To what extent this movement, due undoubtedly to 

 the sexual excitability and ignorance of the country exhibited by 

 birds of the first year, should be held to account for the " faunal in- 

 osculation " which Beckham speaks of, I am unable t(» prove. 

 From all that may be proven by and inferred from the observations 

 of collectors in this region ten years ago, it seems that several 

 species are now represented in the avifauna of Corpus Christi 

 which were then strangers to it. 



Owing to the position of this territory, forming as it were the 

 keystone of three great faunal arches, eastern, western and south- 

 ern, where in time past the birds from their respective regions ap- 

 proached so nearly, that a slight change in physical or climatic con- 

 ditions would precipitate more intimate relations. Precisely such 

 a state of affairs has happened, and the intermingling of races and 



